Mail-bag-receiving apparatus.



R. e. CULP. MAIL BAG necnvme APPARATUS.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

APPLICATION FILED HIRE 30,'19l6.'

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WHNESSES A a INVENTOR WDL BY 7 TTEB TATES PATENT @FFTQE.

ROBERT G. GULF, OF, CONEMAUGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BAG-RECEIVING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT G. CULr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cone maugh, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag-Reoeiving Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This'invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mail bag receiving apparatus.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a mail bag receiving apparatus which will be of improved and T simplified construction and highly efficient in use.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a mail bag receiving apparatus of this character which may be especially adapted for use in connection with a mail bag delivering crane or mechanism of the type disclosed in my application Serial No. 83357.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a mail bag receiving apparatus ivhich may be positioned between tracks and will include supporting arms having inclined upper faces and spring latch members for engagement with said inclined upper edges to lock the mail bag upon the same.

/Vith these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown a perspective view of the complete device in use.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 designates a base upon which the standard 2 is mounted, the lower portion 3 of the standard being enlarged and having oppositely directed arms 4 projecting horizontally from the same, the ends 5 of said arms 1 being extended upwardly. The upper and lower portions of the standards 2 are connected by suitable brace rods 6 with i the arms 4:. Additional bracerods 7 also connect the upwardly extended ends 5 of the arms 4 with the main portion of the latter.

Mounted upon the upwardly extended ends 5 of the arms 4 are the oppositely ex- Specification of Iietters Patent.-

latented Mar. 26 1917.

Application filed June 30, 1916. Serial No. 106,904.

tended mail bag receiving arms 8 which are provided with inclined upper faces 9, one arm 8 being provided for each arm 45. Spring latch plates 10 are secured by one end to the upper extremities of the arms 4 and extend over the arms 8, the free ends 11 of said latch plates 10 being curved outwardly. Each latch plate 10 carries a triangular latch member 12, one point of which rests upon the inclined upper edge 9 of the arm 8 over which the latch plate 10 is extended. It will therefore be seen that a mail bag carrying book 13 may be readily removed from its support carried by the passing car, the hook 13 riding up the inclined edge 9 of the arm 8 and forcing its way along the latch member 12, said latch mem ber 12 automatically returning to normal position to prevent the hook 13 from sliding back off of the arm 8. While any suitable form of hook 13 may be employed for sup porting the mail bag 14, I prefer to employ the form of hook shown in the drawing and provided with a flat lower side 15 with the shank 16 of the hook depending from the same for removable engagement with the hook 17 or other member carried by the mail bag 14. Any suitable crane or supporting means 18 will. also be employed and mounted in any preferred manner upon the car. Therefore, the crane will not be specifically described. A complete description of the form of crane shown may be found in my copending application Ser. No. 83,357, previously referred to.

The standard 2 is provided with oppositely directed mail bag supporting arms 19 which are parallel with the arm 8 and have inclined upper faces 20 with which are connected the lower points of the triangular latch members 21 carried by the double spring latch plate 22. This spring latch plate is secured centrally to the upper end of the standard 2 and projects over both of the arms 19, the free ends 23 of said spring latch plate 22 being curved upwardly. It will therefore be seen that the mail bags may be properly supported upon the arm 8 to be removed by proper mechanism carried by the passing car, while other mail bags are delivered to the arms 19.

While the form of the invention herein shown and described is what is believed to be the preferred embodiment thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without der 10 longitudinal strip secured to the plate at its highest point and having its ends curved upwardly, and keeper legs carried by the resilient strip and bearing against the inclined edges of the first named plate.

parting from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is In a mail bag deliverer and receiver the 5 combination with a support of a plate mounted on the support having its upper edge beveled from the centerthereof in 'divergent directions to the'extremities of the plate, a resilient latch comprising a resilient witnesses.

. in presence of two ROBERT Gr. CULP. W t sse SAL J OFFE, Rosn M. Minn 11 Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor. five cents each, by addressing the CommissionerfI -atents. Washington, D; 03" a i In testimony whereof I affix my signature 

